1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a developing device for use in an image forming apparatus such as a laser beam printer, a copying apparatus or a facsimile apparatus adopting an electrophotographic system, a process cartridge provided with developing means as the developing device, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus having a main body onto which the process cartridge is detachably mountable.
2. Related Background Art
There is known an image forming apparatus, such as a laser beam printer or a copying apparatus, in which process units, such as a photosensitive drum 7, which is a latent image bearing member, a charger 8, a developing device 9 and cleaning means 10, are made integral as a process cartridge B which is easily detachably mountable onto the main body of the image forming apparatus (see FIG. 8 of the accompanying drawings).
In this process cartridge B, as a developing unit 12 constituting the developing device and means for circulating a toner (developer) T in a toner container 11, a toner feeding member 9a, which is developer conveying means, is disposed in the toner container 11 as shown in FIG. 8, or as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B of the accompanying drawings, and a plurality of toner feeding members 9a are arranged in a row so as to feed the toner sequentially.
Here, it has come to be desired to increase the quantity of the toner contained in the process cartridge B.
The present invention is a further development of the above-described prior art.